Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Jinx vs. Jinx vs. Phicen

The character Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson - portrayed by Halle Berry in the James Bond movie Die Another Day, has made a big impression in the doll and action figure world.  So much so that there are now at least 3 playscale dolls portraying this character and in Halle Berry's likeness.

The first Jinx to arrive here is from Sideshow Collectibles. Here is Sideshow Jinx posing with the front of her box.  Other than clothing her in this bikini instead of the red "leather" outfit in which she arrived, the only modification to her is that I swapped out her black gloved hands with Triad Hispanic Alpha's hands.  She looks good in her "leather" outfit, but having her 30+ points of articulation visible and on display in this bikini is visually a bit jarring.

And here she is with the open box.  She came with a gun with a silencer that is removable, 6 throwing knives, a belt with throwing knife sheaths, and a stand.  The weapons and stand all remained boxed until today (well, the stand is still boxed).  The paint job is lacking on this figure compared to the photos of the figure on the box.

Here is Sideshow Jinx posing with the back of her box.


Here is Sideshow Jinx in her original outfit with her original gloved hands.  Her "leather" outfit has since begun to deteriorate rapidly.

Here is a close-up of Sideshow Jinx.  She has sculpted hair.  Her head is on the large side.  She does bear a slight resemblance to Halle Berry.

See more Sideshow Jinx poses on my Action Figure Ladies Comparison post.

Next let's take a closer look at Mattel's version of Jinx.  I have had this figure in my possession since 2012 and she has remained NRFB until now.  When my husband first saw the Mattel Jinx doll, he said "Oh, no" with a pained expression on his face.  I asked him what was wrong and he said "That is NOT Halle Berry's body!"  My husband felt that the doll is far too skinny.  After looking at the photo of Halle Berry on the box and comparing the doll, I had to agree that the doll looks emaciated compared to the photo.

My husband went on for a couple of minutes about how skinny this doll is.  I said that at least she had a pretty face and looked like Halle.  He agreed and actually asked me if I could put the head on another figure's body.  Wait, what???  Is this the same man who has been telling me for years that I should leave dolls in their boxes?  That really showed me how strongly he felt that this doll is not an accurate reflection of the actress who plays Jinx.  I told him that I did not have any dolls that would be a good fit for that head.  He asked me if I could put this Jinx's head on Sideshow Jinx's body.  I rejected that idea.  I told him that Sideshow Jinx is not a good enough skin tone match.  I assured him that I would be on the lookout for a more voluptuous body for this lovely head.

Here is Mattel's Jinx posing with the back of her box, followed by a close-up of her face.

Lastly, let's take a look at Phicen's new seamless figure that they are NOT calling Jinx.  Here she is still in the box, followed by a photo of her removed from the box but still in some packaging.  The back of the box shows the locations of her 33 points of articulation.  She comes with 2 extra sets of hands.

The first thing that I noticed about her upon removing her from the box is that her "skin" is soft - much softer than my previous Phicens.  I don't generally care for sculpted hair, but the hair on this figure looks pretty good.  The face is attractive and bears a slight resemblance to Halle Berry.

My husband and I disagree on which face looks the most like Halle Berry between this version and the Mattel version.  I think that the Mattel version does, but my husband thinks it's this version.  Which version would you choose (or would you pick the Sideshow version...ha)?

My husband and I agree that the body on this figure resembles Halle Berry's body more than the other two.  What do you think?  The belt shown below is from the Mattel Jinx and does not fit around the Phicen figure's hips as it should.  It fits tightly around her waist.
Halle Berry photo from jamesbond007.net

I am hesitant to pose the new Phicen much because prior versions have been highly breakable (I have broken both of mine).  Since the figure is covered with rubber "skin", it can be difficult to locate the joints.  It is quite easy to break the plastic endoskeleton by attempting to bend the figure where it's not meant to be bent.  Check out my Phicen Vs. Dance 'n Flex ChristiePhicen vs. Phicen, and Fragile and Fabulous Figure Comparisons posts to see more Phicen poseability.

Here are all 3 of my Phicens together.  This new version is an improvement both aesthetically and in functionality.

The neck can move from front to back, and also side to side.  The head also turns from side to side.

Here are the 3 Jinx figures posing together.  They pose in a similar way so as not to make the Mattel Jinx feel bad about her posing limitations (she has a Model Muse body).

And here they are seated.  Sitting is a challenge for the Mattel Jinx, since her legs do not bend.  Her feet are not touching the floor in this photo.

The Phicen figure came with no gear of her own, so she quickly showed an interest in the weapons of the others.  She is pictured below with Mattel Jinx's knife.

Soon she was ready to try out Sideshow Jinx's gun.  I was able to easily remove her relaxed hand and replace it with a trigger hand.

See, this is why I don't allow my figures to have weapons.  

Things came to a peaceful resolution when Mattel Jinx suggested that they try on different outfits and hang out with the men.

 Maybe the others shouldn't have turned their backs on the new Jinx in town.  This one is a sneaky one.

Here is how I would compare these 3 figures (I placed an X in the column for the figure that I feel ranks highest in that category):


Sideshow
Mattel
Phicen
Face

X

Body


X
Articulation
X


Hair

X

Gear
X


Box
X


Halle Berry Likeness

X

Realism


X
Aesthetics


X

So which one is my overall pick?  I choose the Phicen (but I'm glad that I have all 3).  Which one would you pick?

30 comments:

  1. I like the poseability of the Sideshow one. If I owned her I'd replace her head. The Phicen one looks like Halle but aren't her boobs too big? The Mattel one is very pretty but the body is disappointing because Halle has a very nice body. It was really nice to see these dolls. I've never seen them before.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Robotica! I think that the boobs on the Phicen are a little large (and soft, by the way). I will put the Mattel head on a different body eventually. Jinx needs to be able to move!

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  2. I like the body sculpt on the Phicen. I like to see that Halle has been created in the fashion and action figures worlds.

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    1. Thanks for commenting Male Doll World! I'm excited to see dolls in the image of Halle Berry and other notable figures. I'd like to see a doll that REALLY looks like Halle, like maybe a Hot Toys quality figure (but for less money than Hot Toys).

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  3. I like Mattel's Halle head the best and would put it on a hippier Fashionista body. Those model muses are the worst. I do like the seamless dolls body a lot. She looks quite fit and not just gratuitously top and bottom heavy. She looks nothing like Halle though. Mabe a whiter cousin on her mother's side.

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    1. Hi Muff! I have a wave 1 Fashionista here, and considered placing the Halle head on that body. I think I want a wave 2 Fashionista with the articulation enhancements. Halle needs to be able to sit with her legs closed. I really like the Phicen body, too. I thought that my first Phicen kind of looked like a chick in a rubber suit, but this one looks really good and they have come a long way. I hope that one day they will make a dark skinned figure with the stainless steel endoskeleton. I'd love to have a doll that looks this good that I'm not afraid to pose!

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  4. The Mattel version is how we think or want Halle to look. The Phicen looks more like her to me from frontal views. She loses some resemblance from the profile view. If one looks at both versions, it is no doubt they will know both represent Halle. I cannot say the same about the Sideshow version which looks more like a little boy to me.

    Nice comparison. I always enjoy your husband's commentary.

    dbg

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    1. Thanks Debbie! My husband was glad to see the prototype photos of the Phicen a couple of months ago. He happily purchased this Phicen for me as a birthday gift (I pre-ordered in May and he paid). He is satisfied that the Phicen adequately represents the Jinx character. Personally, I'd like to see a figure with a closer resemblance to Halle Berry.

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  5. The Phicen looks like the better likeness to my eye - shame those ones are so easy to break though!

    Interesting to see these three together; they all do seem to have at least a passing likeness which is more than most character dolls can say!

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    1. Hi jSarie! It really is a shame about the easily breakable Phicens. I had told myself that I would not buy another Phicen unless it had a metal endoskeleton. I couldn't resist this one, though. I don't plan to pose her much, and I hope that I am able to keep her intact for many years to come.

      Meanwhile, the first round of Phicens with the stainless steel skeletons have been released. They look good and pose really well! I will be watching to see the feedback that others have about the new Phicens.

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  6. They each have a little Halle likeness. I like the Phicen the most. I like that she has "skin" Her figure seems the best to me also. Changeable hands are a must and a plus. Sideshow is too shiny for some reason.

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    1. Hi The grandmommy! I agree that they each look a little like Halle. I'm wishing for a doll that looks a LOT like Halle. I think that the figure on the Phicen is the best by far. And the changeable hands do come in handy (ha).

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  7. I think Sideshow is hard on its female characters. They create hard-looking women figures, IMHO. And the heads tend to be bigger than fit for the bodies. Sigh.

    Regarding Mattel ... I consider them good for faces, less so for bodies. I agree with your husband that she needs a more balanced body. Model muse bodies look as though they are starved teenagers. Sad.

    I think that both the Phicen and the Mattel faces resemble Ms. Berry. Mattel has a Halle-Berry-as-Barbie vibe whereas the Phicen face is "not quite" dead-on, but very close. I would give Phicen a plus for the face shape and the features. Mattel would get a plus for the complexion.

    Thanks for sharing these 3 versions of Halle Berry. It would be totally cool if Hot Toys came out with another version. ; -)

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    1. Thanks D7ana! Yes, it would be cool if Hot Toys came out with a Halle Berry figure, and even cooler if I could actually afford it!

      I agree with your assessment of Sideshow's female characters. A couple of them have actually made me laugh out loud (Willow, for instance). With Mattel, sometimes I can see the resemblance with their character dolls, and sometimes I can't. Sometimes Mattel doesn't even try, and sticks a character doll with an existing face mold (like Raven, Cat Woman, and the first HSM Chad).

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  8. LOL. It's clear your husband was focused on the waist down. I like the Phicen body, but the Mattel face. I hope you are successful in finding Mattel Halle a new body. That Model Muse body doesn't look great on any doll.

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  9. I meant to say, your husband was focused from the neck down.

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    1. LOL, thanks for the clarification. :) I can only see a slight resemblance to Halle Berry with the Phicen. My husband says that all he can see is Barbie when he looks at the Mattel Jinx. I hope to one day have a doll that we can both agree looks like Halle Berry in both face and body. Thanks for your comments, Vanessa!

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  10. Interesting! I agree with You that the Mattel face looks most like Ms Berry, though the hair I like best is Phicen because it looks most choppy/spiky like in the film

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    1. Thanks for commenting, Unknown! I don't usually like sculpted hair, but I think that Phicen did a really good job. I prefer rooted hair over sculpted hair, though, which is why I favor the Mattel hair.

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  11. Among the 3 dolls, The PHICEN looks more like Halle Berry. The Sideshow looks more like a man. The Mattel face looks more like a Barbie and it does not look like Halle.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Anonymous! I recently saw a repaint of the Phicen Halle Berry headsculpt, and it was a great resemblance to the actress. After seeing that, I can finally see more of a resemblance when I look at my Phicen figure.

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  12. Such a cute and cool blog firstly! :) Great post on Halle's Jinx dolls! I want the Phicen one! I want all of them :)!

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    1. Thank you, Anonymous! :) I'm happy to have all of the Jinx figures.

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  13. Thank you it was The Mattel version, I loved reading the part with your husband Its so real and funny.

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    1. Thanks for your comments, Lady Elaine Fairchilde! I still have not rebodied my Mattel Jinx head, so every blue moon my husband makes a comment about how she doesn't look like the real Halle Berry. And I have recently ruined the body of my Phicen "Jinx" figure, so I will have to rebody that one also one of these days. My hope is that more companies will make brown seamless figures with the stainless skeletons, and I will rebody to those. For the Phicen doll, I would repaint her entire face to match whatever brown body I chose, and to more closely resemble the Jinx character.

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  14. I like the Barbie one LOL. (your phicen lost some weight)

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  15. Hi Roxanne, hope you're safe & fine

    In case you still own Halle Berry's Sideshow, would you consider selling the head only to me ? I'm desperately looking for it, for a custom of another character which is not Halle Berry, this head is not really accurate in its likeness to Jinx/Berry but it would be just fine for my project. Feel free to answer me, thanks in advance !

    Franck from Paris

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    1. Hi Franck, yes thank you I am safe and fine! I apologize for the late reply. I am not selling my Sideshow Halle Berry at this time.

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  16. Hi Roxanne
    Can the gloved hands or the gloves be removed from the Halle berry jinx figure with the red leather suit?

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    1. Hello, I apologize for the late reply. Yes, the gloved hands can be removed. In my photos on this post, I have replaced the gloved hands with flesh toned hands.

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